Jenn Tesolin

A look at Raspbmc video streaming

Outdated: This post is preserved for reference. For a later follow-up, see Using RasPlex for your Media Server.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation describes the Raspberry Pi as a small computer that can handle many basic desktop tasks and also play high-definition video. This post looks at setting up a Raspberry Pi for video streaming using an XBMC-based build called Raspbmc.

Choosing the model

If you are mainly using the device for video streaming, especially over HDMI, it was recommended at the time to buy Model B. It had more memory than earlier models and generally handled video streaming better.

It could be purchased from sites such as:

It was also worth checking local computer shops, since smaller stores sometimes carried Raspberry Pi hardware even when larger retailers did not.

Storage and operating system

This mini computer does not use a traditional hard drive. Instead, it uses an SD card for the operating system.

It was also recommended to use a Class 10 SD card unless you opted for the NOOBS package. If you were only using the machine for streaming, an 8 GB card was usually enough. At the time, 32 GB was generally the largest commonly supported size.

Like me, you may already have some of the other required parts around the house. For example, I used an old mini USB cable from another device and connected it to an iPhone wall adapter. For safety, I powered the machine down when it was not in use.

Here is a list of the basic components.

For analog TV use

  • Composite video cable
  • RCA audio cable

With HDMI

  • HDMI cable
  • HDMI-compatible display or adapter (sold separately)

General accessories

  • Ethernet cable or wireless USB adapter
  • Micro USB cable
  • Optional: USB wall adapter

Install Raspbmc on your SD card

Raspbmc installation files were available from the OSMC site.

Once the SD card was prepared, plug it into the Raspberry Pi and let it boot. For some reason, my mouse did not work during setup, so I completed the initial steps using only a keyboard. USB support worked normally after that.

For the initial setup, it was also recommended to use SSH to make configuration changes more easily.

Initial commands

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg

Optional

Add your license keys to config.txt.

Other settings to tweak in Raspbmc

  • Video resolution: Settings > System > Video Output > Resolution
  • Overclock: Programs > Raspbmc Settings > System Configuration > System Performance Profile > Fast
  • Enable AirPlay: System > Network > Allow XBMC to receive AirPlay content
  • Turn off thumbnails: Settings > Video > File lists > Disable “Extract thumbnail and video information”

Set up PlayOn

Unfortunately, Plex Media Center did not work with my setup, so for Netflix and other channels I used PlayOn. At the time, it cost around $50 CAD (about $30 USD) and could work well on an XP virtual machine. I would recommend testing the free media options first before purchasing. The steps below were based on PlayOn’s guide.

Requirements

Set up the virtual machine

  1. Create an XP virtual machine with 2 GB RAM in “Bridge Networking - Auto-detect” mode and a static virtual disk rather than an expanding one. Use at least a 16 GB virtual disk. PlayOn recommended using 2 CPU cores for streaming.
  2. Once XP is installed, uninstall anything you do not need, such as MSN Browser, Paint, and games.
  3. Right-click on “My Computer,” open Advanced settings, and set performance to “Best performance.”
  4. Install the latest service packs and Windows updates.
  5. Stop and disable the indexing service.
  6. Install PlayOn using the default settings.
  7. Restart the machine.

Enable in Raspbmc

Basic path: Files > Add Videos... > Browse > UPnP Devices > PlayOn... > OK

That’s it. Hopefully this still gives some useful context, even though the setup is now quite dated.

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